Rwandan business mogul and industrialist, Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa, whose name was cited in the rift that led to the closure of the border between Uganda and Rwanda in 2019, is dead. He was 82 years old.
According to Rwanda’s The New Times, the cause of Rujugiro’s death is not yet known.
He reportedly died in South Africa, where he was living.
Rujugiro was best known for his entrepreneurial ventures, particularly in the tobacco industry, where he founded and led Africa’s largest tobacco company – Pan African Tobacco Group.
Born in Rwanda, Rujugiro’s entrepreneurial journey took him across borders as he built a business empire that spanned multiple sectors. His success, however, was not without controversy.
The Observer newspaper reported in 2019 that after Rujugiro fell out with President Paul Kagame, he switched some of his investments to Uganda in 2013.
Kigali had reportedly asked for the repartriation of Rujugiro accsuing him of fanning instability in Rwanda, a request Museveni declined.
